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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29879643">Puzzle Pieces</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittykattle90/pseuds/kittykattle90'>kittykattle90</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Deus Ex (Video Games), Deus Ex: Human Revolution</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Romance, Sex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:55:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,040</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29879643</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittykattle90/pseuds/kittykattle90</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Megan's research with the Illuminati has fallen apart and she has attempted to pick up her life from where she left it, except Adam isn't the same man he was before.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adam Jensen/Megan Reed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Puzzle Pieces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Hi, Mom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Megan.” The older woman's voice was warm, clearly pleased to hear from her. “How are you, darling?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm good, thanks, but worn out. It was another long shift at the lab.” Megan Reed sat down on the edge of the bed and absently ran the smooth metallic beads of her necklace through her fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How was your day? I hope a long shift doesn't mean there are problems with your research.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sadly, Megan's day had been uneventful, as they always seemed to be now she was working for L.I.M.B. In all honesty, she had questioned why she was even calling her mother – she didn't have any burning desire to talk, she had no snippets of gossip or news on her research to report. It had simply become a habit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They talked of trivial things: how Megan's day at work had gone, what they were each planning for dinner. She and her mother had always had a good relationship, despite their insistence that their socialising would never interrupt work hours, but now it was different. It was the way only a mother and daughter who had thought they'd lost one another forever could be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no problems. The experiments we're running are child's play, but long-winded.” Megan kept her response simple. She did not want to bother her mother with the truth – her growing anxiousness towards her work and its trivial nature. She often mentally compared her team of researchers with Neanderthals. The humour distracted her from the sense of disappointment. “What about you? Have you had a good day?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still haven't managed to put that last piece of my thesis paper together. Your father insists the words will come eventually, but I'm having my doubts. I almost deleted the document to start over this afternoon.” Her mother sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Mom. You can't do that,” Megan protested, rolling over to sprawl out on the bed. The sheets were cool against her bare legs, and as she stretched the material of her faded, oversized t-shirt rode up. It didn’t belong to her, but Megan enjoyed sleeping in it more than she cared to admit. “You've worked too hard on those theories to just throw it away now. You never let me give up on my research. It's a two–way street, Mom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan and both of her parents held doctorates, and as such Megan's entire life had been centred around learning. She had been taught at a young age never to accept failure – it didn't matter how hard the work had been, or how many mistakes Megan had made, she wouldn’t stop until she had succeeded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her parents had never been unfair with her, of course. They had always been so supportive when she had been backed into a corner or had lost her motivation with her work, doing anything and everything within their power to help. They'd always managed to get her back on the right track. It was rare that the opportunity to return the gesture came around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mother sighed again. “You're right. I know you're right. I'll have another look at it later before bed. Who knows, maybe the answer will show itself to me in my dreams.” She chuckled at the unlikely notion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If only it were that easy,” Megan laughed. She unwound the string of beads from her neck and placed them on the bedside table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which reminds me, how are you getting on with this new project at work? Are you making progress with those calculations you were working on last week? What about the other scientists? Are you still feeling out of place?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One question at a time, Mom,” Megan replied, trying to make light of the situation, but her mother wasn’t fooled for a second.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't stall, Megan Reed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine work. It's just hard to feel motivated there, that’s all. The work I was doing before—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The D–Project? It was unfortunate that fell through.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess it was for the best. The work we were doing could have hurt a lot of people. I had no doubts Bob Page had big plans for the virus, and pretty immoral ones at that.” Megan sighed. “Am I a bad person for being disappointed to see that project fall apart?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course not,” her mother snapped. “This is what science is all about. You have to be able to disconnect yourself from morals and implications sometimes. If you're passionate about a project, all that matters is achieving your goals.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel like the D–Project was my breakthrough. It was my chance to finally do something with my research. I'd been hammering away at that theory for years, going around and around and near driving myself crazy with the sleepless nights. It was right there,; I had it in my grasp.” Megan felt fresh disappointment wash over her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm so sorry, my darling.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's okay, I guess,” Megan replied with a heavy sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You're still young, and you're still a brilliant scholar. It's heartbreaking to get so close, but you have to just pick yourself up and dust off. You mustn't let it get you down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Never. I haven't wallowed for a second,” Megan said with pride, “But the work I'm doing for L.I.M.B pales in comparison. It's like going back to kindergarten.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Although I feel for you, I can't bring myself to be too upset that your project didn't work out. If it hadn’t, you might never have come home...” Her mother trailed off. The unspoken words of Megan’s painful absence lingered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know I would have contacted you eventually. I was waiting for the right time. I didn't want you or Dad to get dragged into anything messy.” Megan paused. “Was it Adam that told you I was alive? When he first found me in Singapore?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, it was.” The tension was audible in the older woman's voice and she changed the subject. “Look at it this way, Megan – if your project had worked out, you wouldn't have him. Adam, I mean. He's so strong and dependable. Men like that don't come around very often and you were a fool to push him away like you did. You need a man that can support and care for you, someone you can trust to keep you safe. You should be thankful for him giving you this second chance, I—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, Mom.” Megan rolled her eyes but glanced towards the en suite bathroom where the man himself was showering. Steam was billowing out into the room, the sound of the water hissing quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry. I know you don't like me going on about it, but the gratitude I feel for that man still. It’s incomparable.” Her mother's voice cracked with emotion and there was a pause whilst she composed herself. “Are you going to see him this evening?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm in his apartment right now,” Megan replied, running the flat of her palm over the pillows as if to confirm it to herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Be sure to tell him we're asking about him. How has he been feeling lately?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan knew what her mother was referring to. She glanced at the bathroom again and swallowed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He has his ups and downs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Understandable. It's an almost textbook reaction to becoming augmented, not to mention all the other hardships he’s been through.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan ran a hand through her hair, feeling uncomfortable. She knew she could tell her mother anything, yet she had kept the key reason for Adam's erratic, depressive moods to herself. His resentment of his augments undoubtedly played a part in his volatile psyche, but there was much more to it than that. It was her fault. As proud as she was, Megan didn't have problems admitting her mistakes, but when it came to Adam, everything was turned upside down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan rarely regretted anything in her life. Even her choice to work on the D–Project, turning her back on Sarif Industries and doing the 'immoral' thing. She had valid reasons for it all. Yet, since she and Adam had decided to get back together, she felt as though she was housing a bottomless pit of regret in her heart with Adam Jensen's name on it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello? Megan? Are you there?” Her mother’s voice broke through her train of thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, sorry. I'm here. It's been a long day.” She lied. “What were you saying?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just remembered I still have your bracelet. It’s the pretty silver one with tiny diamonds on it. You'll have to arrange to come by sometime to pick it up. It'd be nice to see you, regardless.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, where did you get that? I thought I'd lost it when I was kidnapped from—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did. It was compounded as evidence by the police,” her mother replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan blinked with surprise. “And the police just gave it back to you?” she asked in disbelief.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Adam returned it to me. After your— what we thought was your death, I visited him at work. At the time it had seemed sensible. I now feel utterly ridiculous, you understand – you hadn't been together for years and he had already gone through so much. I thought I was going insane with grief, but something about your autopsy report hadn't seemed quite right. I had gone to Adam to ask him to look into it for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Mom. You shouldn't have, not after all he'd already been through—” Megan felt her face grow hot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I know. I see now how inappropriate it had been for me to show up as I did, but I was inconsolable. I thought Adam's connections with the police force would make it easy for him to uncover the truth. When he had met up with me afterwards, he had given me the bracelet as a memento.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan felt her throat grow tight, the sickening hollowness of guilt gripping her stomach. Adam had done so much for her, even after she had 'died'. Though she didn't mention it to her mother, she knew how many strings Adam would have had to pull to get access to evidence as confidential as hers had been. He had taken care of her mother when she hadn’t been able to. Megan’s heart fluttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suspected he had wanted to keep the bracelet for himself. it must have been an ordeal for him to part with it. It's hard to tell with those fancy sunglasses of his someti—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom, they're part of his optical augments. It's not a fashion accessory,” Megan protested, feeling uncomfortable all over again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever they are, I'm sure if I'd been able to see his eyes I wouldn't have been able to take the bracelet from him. Looking back on it now, he had probably needed it more than I had, even in my grief–stricken state.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Distracted as she was, Megan hadn't heard the shower turn off. When Adam walked into the bedroom, she jumped and felt her face grow hot as he raised a quizzical brow at her reaction. She placed her hand on her chest to calm her pounding heart and smiled up at him, but Adam had already turned away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan swallowed and opened her mouth, only to close it again. No words formed and she floundered for a way to change the topic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam didn't linger. He strode past her and grasped at the towel wrapped around his hips. He tightened it and left the room without a second glance towards Megan. Before he left her line of sight, she felt her gaze pulled to his torso.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam was still damp from the shower, the water glistened on his skin and Megan was entranced. The man had the kind of abs that almost made a girl not even notice the intimidating, robot-like augmented arms and bolts sticking out of his chest. Almost. He'd always been a fit, athletically built man even all those years ago when they had first gotten together, but now? He made his past self look positively weedy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had been taken aback at first by the extent that Sarif had augmented him after he'd been injured. Megan was so oblivious of augmentations these days, she rarely paid them any attention at all – Adam's, however, had caught her appreciation not just as a scientist, but also as a woman. Though she didn't dare tell him she thought they were sexy. No doubt it would set him spiralling into one of his dark moods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom, I've got to go,” Megan managed to splutter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That's okay, I have a thesis to complete. I really should get on with it,” the older woman replied with a bark of laughter. “Have a nice evening and be sure to remember to tell Adam we're asking about him. Try not to be too hard on the poor man. I think he's doing well, considering everything he's been through.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Mom, I will. I'm sure I'll talk to you soon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan hung up and lay her head down on the pillow for a moment. She held her breath, straining to listen for Adam's movements in the next room. She heard the clinking of glass, then the ice dispenser whirring and her stomach clenched unpleasantly. No doubt he was getting himself a glass of whiskey and Megan had long since correlated the occurrence with him being unhappy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She felt uneasy, as she often did around Adam these days, but wasn't surprised. His moods were pretty undecipherable at the best of times, but she had sensed something was wrong tonight. He hadn't spoken a word to her since he'd dropped her off at work earlier that morning and the car journey home had been tense and silent. Megan had never been good with awkward social situations, and Adam was the typically 'strong and silent type'. He always had been, even before the </span>
  <em>
    <span>incident</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but this was different.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam often drove her to and from work. Megan liked to believe he did it out of kindness, but she long since suspected he had ulterior motives. It made him uncomfortable talking about her research, even the innocent, mundane work she did for L.I.M.B and she often wondered if he was keeping tabs on her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he worried she would run off, inspired by the D–Project, to start her own fascist organisation and leave him behind? After everything, Megan couldn't honestly blame him if that was the case. He didn't understand her work, he never had, but now his hatred for it ran so deep it made her skin crawl. Megan's work had been the major contributor towards their first break–up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was a self–professed workaholic – she had been raised as one and she would die as one. During her childhood, it had been stressed on her the importance of academic study over social interactions and relationships. She liked to think that had been the reason behind her betrayal, the same one that now haunted her every time she looked at Adam's face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their relationship, the first chapter of it at least, had been a lie. Almost immediately after her graduation, Megan had been hired by Sarif Industries. Determined to prove her worth, she hadn't held back and made outstanding progress with any and every task her boss could throw at her. It hadn’t been long before Hugh Darrow, the father of mechanical augmentation, had noticed her talents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan still remembered the pride and happiness she had felt when he had contacted her about a special 'secret project'. She had only been too keen to take part and David Sarif had been instructed to brief her on the task requirements.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sarif had told her about a special individual they had uncovered. His name was Adam Jensen. Adam was more than human. He was the next rung on the ladder of evolution and was the key to unlocking all of their wildest dreams and ambitions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan had been instructed to introduce herself and seduce Mr Jensen at a charity ball Sarif had held a few months later (whether it was staged for the purpose of their meeting, Megan still didn't know.) All she had to do was obtain a sample of Adam’s DNA.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It hadn't been as easy as that in reality. Megan sighed, still recalling how her stomach had knotted when the tall, dark and handsome Adam Jensen had been pointed out to her from across the crowded hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At first, she had attempted to keep herself distanced from him emotionally. All she had required was a few strands of hair and it hadn't been difficult to obtain them once she had gotten him into bed. She had planned to get in and out, quick and easy, but every time Megan tried to cut Adam loose, she couldn’t ever bring herself to do it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She knew they should have parted once Adam was no longer useful to her, but still, she continued to see him. Sarif had warned her not to get emotionally attached, but she had insisted Adam could still be useful to their research. They went out to dinner, saw movies, slept at each other’s places, and before she had even realised it herself, Megan had begun to await his calls eagerly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>About a year in, they bought an apartment together and they had been happy. One day, Megan had returned home to find Adam had bought her a puppy – Kubrick. She recalled telling him in passing, months before how much she had wanted a puppy as a child and how her parents had never allowed it. Megan had come to the conclusion that she was in love with Adam Jensen that night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Inevitably, things had turned sour. Her work at Sarif grew more and more intense. With Adam's DNA to aid them, their research on human enhancement took on leaps and bounds. Megan put in many sleepless nights, often not returning home at all. Adam wasn't happy and she had known that, but she had been so focused on her work that she hadn't seen the warning signs until it was too late.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam broke it off with her. He didn't understand why her work meant he had to go days without seeing or hearing from her and when he did, why she was cold and distant with her mind fixated on formulae and calculations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time it had all gotten too much, Adam had almost seemed relieved to let her go. He had suffered in the knowledge that their relationship was over for a long time before he'd finally ended it and all he'd had left was weariness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan hadn't fought him over it. She had tried to tell herself that it was for the best, that their entire relationship had been based on a lie and it was good that it had ended naturally. She had lived in fear of Adam finding out about her experiments since the beginning, and yet had still cried herself to sleep that night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan Reed was never one to wallow, though. She threw herself into her work with fresh determination, wanting to bury the emotions – and bury them deep she did. In fact, she had continued to do so until the night Adam had turned up, guns blazing, in Singapore to rescue her. The look on his face had said it all. He knew everything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had tried to explain herself to him, tried to help him understand what an amazing achievement her research was turning out to be. She had finally been able to confess her betrayal and told Adam how she had used his DNA in her work. Megan hadn't been surprised when he'd rejected her apology.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then things had gotten crazy. Darrow had activated the 'switch' she had helped to develop after Adam had arrived to save her, expecting him to be driven insane like the rest of the augmented people worldwide. It was out of pure luck that Adam had been too caught up in hunting her and the other kidnapped scientists to get his chip fitted, and thus he'd remained unaffected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam had arranged for her to be airlifted from Singapore shortly afterwards, and that had been the last she'd seen or heard of him until she had run into him at a L.I.M.B clinic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan's head flew up at the sound of Adam's voice behind her. She rolled over and sat up to look at him. He stood, still clad in only a towel, at the foot of the bed with a wine glass in the hand that was outstretched towards her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Megan accepted the glass, taken aback by his thoughtful gesture. Her eyes dropped to his other hand and felt strangely relieved to see not a glass of whiskey, but a tall tumbler filled with ice and water. Megan took a sip of wine and tried not to look guilty about suspecting the worst of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam shot her a scornful look, knowing exactly what she had been thinking, and turned his back on her. Megan silently cursed his C.A.S.I.E implant, an augmentation that allowed him to read and interpret even the smallest shift in her emotions. He placed his glass down and pulled his chair out from his desk, sitting heavily in it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat in silence. Megan continued to sip at her wine and Adam continued to go out of his way to ignore her, busying himself with answering work emails.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan waited, more than used to being punished in such a way. She supposed she should be resentful of Adam's behaviour towards her, but she wasn't. On some level, she knew she deserved it. In the face of the sacrifices and challenges he had overcome for her, all she had given him in return was her self–serving betrayal. Perhaps she should be grateful for his C.A.S.I.E augment after all. At least he would know for sure she wasn't lying when she told him of how she regretted what had happened between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything was her fault, and where had it got her? The job she was in now was of a lower rank than the one she had had at Sarif Industries. Megan hadn't gone back to square one – she was on square minus ten.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t long before Megan began to feel the effects of the alcohol. Her body was warm all over and her vision was draped with an aesthetically pleasing soft–focus. She found herself staring at Adam's back, watching the strong muscles bunch and move under his skin as he typed. She wanted to bury her fingernails into it, to wrap her legs tight around his waist, to feel his mouth on her neck… Megan sighed, attempting to suppress her desire before— </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam's furious typing faltered and she fought a smile. He wasn't truly ignoring her, then. His C.A.S.I.E implant had picked up on her increased heart rate and hitching breaths. When he turned his attention back to the screen before him, Megan felt a painful wave of rejection crash into her. Adam knew she desired him, and with the help of the implant, he could see (to three decimal points) exactly how much, yet he continued to give her the cold shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been several months since Adam had accepted her pleading and grovelling and they had met up to talk things through. It had been a long and difficult journey for Megan. She'd had a lot of explaining to do and despite it all, she knew Adam still didn't trust her completely. Perhaps he never would. Megan was okay with that, in fact, she might have mocked him if he had just taken her back with no questions asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Over time they seemed to have fallen back into their previous arrangement, and though they weren't officially living together yet, Megan had been instructed to put her apartment up for sale. It hadn't been as romantic as the first time Adam had asked her to move in with him, but it was something she felt deserving of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Adam had his 'bad days', their life together was mostly content. So long as Megan avoided his triggers (talking about augmentations, Sarif Industries, her work, or anything that had a connection to the past) Adam was the same kind, genuine man he had always been. They passed many evenings curled up on the sofa watching television or laying in bed, talking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was times like those when she missed Kubrick the most. She and Adam had often laughed until they cried whilst watching the clumsy dog's antics. Kubrick had been a handful, but Megan had loved him dearly. She had taken the dog with her when she and Adam had broken up. She had been distraught when she'd asked where her puppy was and Adam had told her Kubrick had been put down whilst he'd still been unconscious from the augmentation surgery. Yet another thing to feel guilty about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan was pleased to note the frequency of Adam's dark, self–destructive moods had decreased since the early days of their rekindled relationship. Maybe she was foolish, but she allowed herself to feel hopeful for the future. She vowed never to let him down and held onto the hope that, maybe one day, Adam would trust her again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For now, Megan turned to her work (as dull and unchallenging as it was), burying herself in it until the worst of it blew over. She always made certain she brought some home with her, just in case.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that in mind, she drained the last of her wine and got to her feet. Having waited long enough, she figured if Adam was going to be sullen she might as well keep herself busy. It wouldn't be the first time they passed an evening this way – both working in silence. She glanced at the empty glass in her hand. Maybe she'd get another drink too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan strode past him towards the door, barely containing a squeal when Adam's arm shot out and wrapped around her waist, stopping her in her tracks. She would never get used to the speed of his reflexes. He was fast, even for an augmented person.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam spun his chair around to face her, pulling her close until he could hug her body to his. With him still sitting and her standing, Megan ran a hand through Adam's hair, stroking his nape with her fingertips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you got work to do?” he asked. Megan faltered for a moment, wishing she too had a C.A.S.I.E implant so she knew what to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” she replied. “Though I was only getting it now because you seemed busy. You know I can't sit still for more than two minutes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam turned his head and rested it on her breasts. Megan felt a rush of arousal and tempered it as best she could, not that it would make much difference. Adam’s implant had no doubt already filled him in. She continued to stroke Adam's hair, pleased when he sighed heavily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn't been intimate since they'd decided to get back together, and Megan was feeling the effects. Being around Adam made it impossible to ignore her desires.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She'd never been a sexual person before she had met Adam, and for the most part, she had managed to revert back to that when she had been kidnapped and taken to Singapore. Now they were back together again, Megan's body buzzed with arousal constantly. Adam had re-awoken something within her and she was desperate to sate it. Adam's hesitation to be intimate with her was understandable, but regrettable. Megan had endeavoured to give him space and a chance to consider his feelings for her before they took that next important step.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nevertheless, she felt hopeful that a breakthrough was imminent. A few weeks ago, in the middle of the night, Adam had reached for her whilst she slept. She'd woken to him pawing one of her breasts and petting her between her legs. Megan had reached for him, overjoyed to feel his body responding to her own, but before either of them could do anything more Adam had been forced to take an important call from Pritchard at Sarif Industries and had been called in to work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only reason Megan had allowed him to leave that night was because she was certain he hadn’t wanted to. He'd cursed and muttered to himself, seeming genuinely pissed off about being interrupted. She had told herself it hadn’t mattered. Now Adam was ready to take their relationship to the next level, they'd have plenty of other chances. She was still waiting for him to continue what he'd started that night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan drove herself crazy, pleading with him silently at night, imagining what his augmentations would feel like when he ran his hands over her bare skin... She shivered, and feeling fresh arousal blooming between her thighs, bent to kiss Adam's head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The kiss had barely touched him when Adam turned his face upwards and caught Megan's mouth with his own. She stifled a gasp and steadied herself against him, fearing she would collapse if she didn't. It was the first time he'd kissed her. She had attempted to persuade him several times, peppering his face and throat with her own kisses, but this was the first time he'd truly kissed her back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Megan had a chance to consider what this meant for their relationship, Adam pulled away. He got to his feet and rested his hands on her shoulders to steady her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you like another drink?” he asked, prying the glass from her hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes please.” Megan didn't actually want another glass, but she was still reeling from the kiss Adam had given her. If nothing else, she wanted a moment alone to compose herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a nod, Adam left the room and Megan went into overdrive. She smoothed a hand over her hair self–consciously and cupped a hand over her mouth to check her breath. It was strange to be nervous like this. It wasn't her first time, nor was it the first time she'd been with this particular man and yet Megan paced back and forth, debating whether to take her panties off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gave in and hurriedly stepped out of her underwear, kicking the scrap of lace somewhere inconspicuous before laying down on the bed. She made sure to position herself so Adam wouldn't be able to see her now exposed nethers and lay in wait for him to return.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he eventually did, Adam handed the glass back to her and Megan held her breath, wondering what he was going to do next. She almost smiled when he chose to sit on the edge of the bed instead of returning back to his desk. He still had his back to her, but she no longer felt rolling waves of hostility from him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you remember to set that TV show to record?” It was a mundane question, but Megan was relieved that Adam’s ire seemed to have thawed at last.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.” She took a large mouthful of wine to calm her nerves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They continued to talk easily, though Megan was always careful to avoid bringing up any sensitive subjects. She would do anything not to shatter the hopeful turn the evening had taken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She continued to take large mouthfuls of her wine until the glass was empty. Her warm haze progressed quickly into full–blown tipsy and she was reminded of how little she had eaten that day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Feeling confident, the kind only intoxication brought about, Megan gazed at Adam's back. The raw need to touch him overwhelmed her, and instead of playing it cautious and waiting for him to make the first move, she pushed herself up onto her knees and sidled closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was aware of her, there was no doubt about that. When Megan reached out and placed her palm gently against Adam's back, he tensed. She smoothed the flat of her hand over his skin and began rubbing gentle circles into the muscles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a few long moments, Adam started to relax. Megan had both her hands on him now, massaging his muscles firmly. She shifted until she had a knee on either side of his body and he sighed, leaning back into her touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Growing bolder still, Megan pressed her breasts against him as she leant in and began kissing Adam's neck. Thrills shot through her when he lowered his shoulder and turned his head to give her better access to him. When she trailed her tongue up to his ear, he shuddered and rested his palm on her knee. His touch was cool and smooth, not at all like the hot, calloused hands she remembered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Adam could apparently take no more teasing, Megan allowed him to hoist her weight around so she sat in his lap. She shivered as she spread her thighs over him and cool air brushed her exposed sex.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam pressed another kiss to her mouth and she yielded to him, opening her mouth in wanton invitation. She groaned when he brushed his tongue to hers and grasped the back of her head to hold her still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Memories assaulted her; all the times they had kissed and made love before the augmentations, before any of the mess and drama. Megan was surprised by the intensity of emotion that welled up in her chest when Adam sucked her bottom lip gently. He remembered she liked it when he did that, and for the first time, she felt like she was with the old Adam Jensen, the way he had been before she'd broken him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam’s hand grasped her hip firmly. Too firmly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ow, that's hurting.” Megan winced, prying his hand from her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Adam mumbled, releasing his hold and grabbing her thigh instead. If anything, his grip was even firmer than before. Megan sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. His apology had seemed so genuine – why was he doing this? Before she had time to consider it further, Adam tugged her t–shirt up roughly until the material bunched under her armpits and groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You already took them off?” he asked, his voice even deeper and rougher than usual. He pressed soft kisses into Megan's throat. She grabbed a gentle fistful of his hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Last time I checked, you had been wearing panties,” Adam growled, dipping his head and suckling on an already painfully hard nipple. Megan bowed her back, pushing her chest forwards and moaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam trailed his free hand down her body to palm her ass. Megan nearly yelped as his grip tightened. Her flesh ached, sure he was going to leave bruises.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She panted and gasped, confused by his behaviour. Adam knew she didn't like being treated like this. She responded to gentle touches, the lighter the better. In fact, there had been many times in the past when he'd enjoyed the challenge of tickling her to orgasm. Hell, he was the reason she now kept a supply of synthetic feathers in her bedside drawer instead of sex toys.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam knew what she liked, so why was he being so rough with her now? She attempted to ignore the vice–like hold he had on her, but couldn't quite block out the bruising sensation enough to enjoy his gentle pulling and tugging on her nipples.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan jolted in his arms when he released her, reaching around her body to trail fingers over her sex. The pressure he applied wasn't savage, but it was firm and much too hard for Megan to find any enjoyment in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Confused, pained tears welled up in her eyes. Was he still punishing her? Was he going to be cruel to her, even now? Megan had a hard time imagining Adam ever doing something like that, but he had changed. He wasn't the same man he had been all those years ago. Maybe he enjoyed tormenting her? Maybe he thought she deserved to be treated like this as payment for all she had done to him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam pressed a finger to her clit and rubbed. The sensitive nerves burned, but just as she opened her mouth to protest, he sighed against her neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I've missed you, Megan.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that was when she realised – Adam didn't know he was hurting her. The reality of the situation came crashing down and Megan sat frozen in his lap, unable to breathe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The augmentations weren't calibrated correctly. The device was sending Adam's brain false pressure gauge readings. It wasn't something he'd have noticed on his own. She doubted he'd done anything since having them installed that had required a gentle touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan felt her face grow hot and her stomach twisted, knowing she would have to tell him. To his mind, Adam was petting her gently as he knew she wanted, but the reality was painful chafing and just... too much. She couldn't let it continue this way, she had to say something, and yet Megan held her tongue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the pain, she was afraid to tell him. She knew he'd be upset, and what was worse, he wouldn't be upset with her, he'd take it out on </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Megan knew he was self–conscious about the augmentations. Something like this would destroy him. It would set their relationship back months.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unless...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A–Adam,” she gasped, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to focus on something else beside the burning between her thighs. “I'm ready – please.” She tugged his hands away from her sensitive flesh, resisting a relieved sigh. Though Megan tried her best to school her features, she knew her pretending had failed when Adam tensed beneath her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What's wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing. I just don't want to wait. I want you now.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Megan regretted them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't lie to me, Megan. You know I can tell,” he hissed, sitting up and pushing her off his lap. “What's the real problem? You wanted this so badly a moment ago.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan swallowed, staring at the floor. “It's the augmentations. They're not calibrated correctly. I know you didn't mean to, but the kit was sending you false pressure readings. You were hurting me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within seconds Adam was on his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam, wait! It's not a big deal, I can fix the issue right now if you'll let me. Just—” Megan floundered, desperately trying to persuade him not to leave, though she knew he'd already shut down on her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam ignored her and stormed from the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan sat on the bed alone in the silence, too shocked to move. She wasn't surprised by his reaction, but she thought for sure he'd at least let her fix the fault. The only thing Adam hated more than his augments was when they were malfunctioning. He was no stranger to the upkeep such complicated augments required and was well known in the L.I.M.B clinics. It seemed like every other week he was getting something tweaked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the first time, Megan understood why he resented the augmentations. He had never asked for any of this. She'd always found it difficult to understand how someone could hate being improved. Augmentations made people 'better', after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Sarif hadn't made Adam a ‘better’ man with these augmentations, he'd made him into a killing machine. Adam’s life had been changed irreversibly and without his consent. The technology had destroyed so many of the things that had made him human, all to make him a more powerful tool for the job.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan felt as if her insides were trying to escape through her mouth. She was angry. She hated the augmentations and what they had done to Adam. She resented them on his behalf.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she'd had a therapist, they would have been proud. It was what her mother called a 'breakthrough moment'.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan pulled her t–shirt down from under her armpits, smoothed the material out and went into the bathroom. She remained sat on the toilet, lost in thought long after she'd finished peeing and ran a hand through her hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was she going to do?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This situation couldn't be allowed to fester, that she knew for sure. She'd spent too long watching from the sidelines, afraid to get involved in Adam's anguish because she felt she had done too much already. This was part of her atonement. She needed to help him, to attempt to unravel the darkness and soothe the mental wounds he still carried with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan stood determinedly, catching a glance at her own reflection in the large mirror on the opposite wall. Adam had had it replaced months ago, but she still remembered the mess from before. The large sheet of reinforced glass used to be badly shattered and it hadn't taken a genius to work out by what.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan was scared to talk to Adam when he was like this. The mirror had served as a warning, an insight into just how messed up his head was. He wasn't in a good place, and though he had made a great deal of progress, Megan feared this evening might have set him back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan trusted him and knew he wouldn't hurt her physically, no matter how angry or upset he got. She was only afraid of hurting their relationship. She wasn't sure she could take him pulling away from her now, not after she'd been so hopeful, but she knew he would if she didn't at least try to rectify things now. With that in mind, she strode from the bathroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan found Adam sat in silence on the sofa, staring into space. She loitered in the doorway between the two rooms for a moment, debating the best way to approach him. In the end, she went with her gut and sat herself next to him. He didn't pull away when she wriggled close enough so their legs were touching and she was nearly tucked under his armpit. She took that as a good sign.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam was grasping the neck of a whiskey bottle in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. Megan knew he didn't smoke out of necessity any more. When he was augmented, his body was cleansed of the need for nicotine. He smoked out of habit, something she'd only seen him doing when he was upset and stressed. It ate at her, seeing him like this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She toyed with using her pre–prepared speech; telling Adam she was happy to work on the sex with him until it was right, that it was all okay, persuading him to let her fix the augmentation… but instead she didn't say anything. Instead, she snatched a cigarette from the pack on the coffee table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you got a light?” she asked. Adam didn't look at her, but he did raise his lighter. The flame flickered to life and he held it to the cigarette until it was lit. “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a long moment of silent tension. Megan fought against her desire to explain and talk things through. She knew Adam needed the silence, so she would give it to him. He would speak when he was ready to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>About halfway through the cigarette, Adam took a mouthful of whiskey and then held the bottle out to her. Megan accepted it, wincing as she swallowed the spirit and felt the heat of it tingling down her throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam's voice nearly made her drop the bottle in surprise. “You haven't started up again, have you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan looked down at the cigarette between her fingers. “No, this is the first time in years. I just felt like I needed one tonight.” She paused, taking a deep drag before continuing. “Adam, I know you probably won't believe me when I tell you this, but I'm so angry – with Sarif, with myself, about what we've done to you... I know there's nothing I can do, it's too late to go back and undo it all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Adam didn't reply, Megan took his silence as a good sign. She was certain if the topic had upset him, he'd have bitten her head off by now or stormed out of the room again. She continued to talk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honestly, I didn't understand your resentment at being augmented at first. I only saw it as an improvement and I couldn't see how that could ever be a bad thing. Having lived with you, having seen how it's affected you...” Megan swallowed, embarrassed as tears blurred her vision and her chest constricted. She took a breath and turned her head away so he wouldn't see. “If I could go back in time and change everything, I would. I wouldn't put you in the situation where you got injured badly enough to need augmentation in the first place. I wouldn't have allowed Sarif to use you like a machine at his disposal. Your unhappiness wasn't worth any of this, groundbreaking technological developments or no.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another long pause.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seeing you like this has made me question everything I've ever done. What if all the technology I helped develop hasn't actually improved anything? What if all the augmented people out there are just as unhappy as you are? My work has always defined me, but what if all I've been doing is helping to make people miserable?” Megan's voice cracked and she swiped a tear from her cheek, hoping Adam hadn't seen it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't think like that. There are plenty of people out there that have led long, fulfilling lives thanks to augmentation. All the people who have lost limbs, or their eyesight – you've given it back to them,” Adam replied. “Using them to 'improve' someone who is perfectly healthy, or to turn people into tools? </span>
  <em>
    <span>That's</span>
  </em>
  <span> wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan didn't reply, just nodded in agreement. She had never felt more foolish in her entire life. Megan Reed didn't make a habit out of failing, but she knew now, as far as Adam had been concerned, she had failed spectacularly. She was ashamed it had taken this long for her to see it herself. Now, for the first time in years, Adam had said something positive about her work. Maybe he'd only said it to make her feel better, but Megan felt her heart swell regardless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat in silence for a few minutes more, but the thick, ominous cloud of tension had cleared. When Adam leant forward and stubbed his cigarette out, she hurried to finish hers as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you like a glass and some ice for that?” she asked, gesturing to the whiskey bottle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan got to her feet and retrieved the items from the kitchen. Setting them down on the coffee table, she took the whiskey bottle from Adam’s grasp and poured a generous amount into the tumbler. He picked it up, the ice tinkling against the glass, and took a sip. Megan screwed the lid shut and took the whiskey bottle back to the shelf across the room, placing it back amongst the other liquors and spirits.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She settled down next to him once more, tucking her legs up underneath her. Adam sighed, sipping his drink. Megan watched him, desperate to know what he was thinking. He could read her like an open book, yet she never had any idea what was going on in </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> head. Gently, she placed her hand on Adam’s thigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam met her gaze for the first time in what felt like months. Megan gazed into his eyes, feeling a strange tug of mixed emotion as she watched the metallic flecks in his irises spin and focus as his implant fed him information. Her heart–rate, her blood pressure, her core temperature... He'd know everything about her in a matter of nanoseconds. She was vulnerable and defenceless, and yet instead of feeling uncomfortable around him, Megan felt it brought them closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without a word, she slid off the sofa and down onto the floor. She wriggled on her knees until she sat in front of Adam. He regarded her with curiosity, but remained silent. Megan took that as his silent consent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ran her hands down his body, sweeping over every cord of muscle. Megan settled between his legs, leaning forwards to kiss and lick Adam's hard abs, down to his navel and across his hips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When his breathing became shallow, she tugged the towel from his waist and let the material pool around her on the floor. The relief she felt finding his shaft hardening for her was almost disturbing. Megan hadn't fully realised until that moment that she was holding her breath. On some level, she had still expected him to reject her. Not wanting to pause to consider the implications of that, she grasped his cock in her hand and enveloped the head with her mouth. Adam didn't make a sound, just shifted his hips forwards so she could reach him more easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan was an intelligent woman. She was constantly unlocking puzzles, making breakthroughs and multi–tasking, yet she had always felt a little out of her depth when it came to sex. Even when she had been younger, Megan had always been too busy with work and studying for romantic endeavours. She recalled her main motive for having had sex at all being curiosity rather than lust.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam was the only man that made her </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to have sex, and that in turn made her want to please him. Yet even with him, she was always so nervous giving head. Perhaps it was the knowledge that her actions were being judged. She really, truly cared (perhaps more than she should) about how well she was being received.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Science was easy, it came naturally; sex was difficult and Megan often felt as though she was operating on estimations and guesswork, never being totally certain if she was correct. The pressure made her nervous and uncoordinated, her logical mind left floundering. She'd often make mistakes like forgetting to breathe because she was too focused on keeping her teeth shielded behind her lips or making sure she didn't drool like an idiot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted nothing more than to please and it was in her nature to abjectly refuse to accept failure. Megan supposed she was her own worst enemy for making even simple, loving gestures into a test for herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been so long since she and Adam had been intimate together. Would he still enjoy the same things? Before they had separated, Megan had felt she had begun to understand what he liked in bed and had even gained some easy confidence with it. Now? It made her stomach clench wondering if she was going to be any good or if she'd have to relearn his body from scratch. So much of Adam had been altered physically, she prayed his sexual preferences hadn't changed along with the rest of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At first, she teased him – easing not only Adam, but herself into the situation as well. Megan recalled how he had always liked her to play with him a little first, so she trailed her tongue up and down his length flicking and swirling the head every once in a while until he was fully erect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She scoured Adam's torso down to his thighs gently with her nails, all the whilst lapping her tongue against him. She brushed her lips across the sensitive spots around the head of his cock and panted against the moist flesh. Megan pressed a trail of hot kisses up the underside of the shaft before taking him back into her mouth and suckling earnestly. She glanced up from beneath her lashes. Adam's expression was indecipherable but he didn't take his eyes off her, those intense irises flickering. She was desperate to prove her worth to him. She wanted to please him like no one else could. She had to, it was imperative to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite her cheeks growing warm under a shy blush, she allowed a lusty (albeit muffled) moan to escape her and took as much of his cock into her mouth as she could manage, halting only as she was on the verge of choking. She sucked and bobbed, probing and exploring him with her tongue all the while. Still, he remained silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam wasn't going to make this easy for her. He wasn't going to give her any hints or suggestions. He wasn't even going to give her the satisfaction of knowing when she did something right. The way he was watching her made Megan feel like she was being observed, almost tested, like Adam wanted to know if she remembered how to please him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan sat back on her haunches to pull the large t-shirt over her head. She dropped it to the floor beside her and smoothed her hands over her breasts, her nipples growing tight and hard now exposed to the cool night air. Instead of taking Adam's shaft back to her mouth straight away, she pressed herself against his body, kissing and petting him all over his abs and hips. Megan deliberately ensured her breasts brushed against his erection, allowing his long, hard shaft to nestle between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she worked her way back down his torso to suck him once more, she was pleased to discover the distinctly saltier taste of pre-cum when she swiped her tongue along the slit. He could pretend all he wanted but his body betrayed him. Adam was enjoying what she was doing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With fresh determination, Megan set about sucking him firmly. She kept one hand steadying his shaft, using the other to sweep up his thigh, across his stomach and back down again. She felt him arch his hips up to her and knew he was fighting the urge to stroke his hands through her hair and aid her bobbing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was cold on the floor. A bitter draught chilled her skin and her knees ached from her weight pushing them into the hard floorboards, but she kept her mouth on him obediently. She sucked until her cheeks hollowed. Rubbing her tongue against every dip and ridge along his cock, she tried to focus on pushing him closer to his end rather than the growing ache in her jaw. Her pulse hammered in her ears, yet Adam continued to sit in silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only when the ache became too much to ignore did Megan give in. She pulled her mouth free, licking at him teasingly, keen for the opportunity to rest her jaw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't stop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A large hand scooped her hair from her face gently before encouraging her forward. He must have been closer to finishing than she had realised. Megan barely held back a smile. It was a tiny, meaningless victory and yet it felt like a Nobel Prize to her right then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took Adam's shaft back into her mouth and diligently bobbed up and down. Using her fist to stroke and caress the length of him she couldn't fit into her mouth. Her vigour was renewed knowing he wouldn't last out much longer. Though the ache in her jaw and tongue was almost unbearable, Adam's guidance and encouragement as he supported her movements made it marginally easier to ignore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she heard a staggered sigh, Megan risked a glance up at him again. Adam wasn't looking at her any more. His head had fallen back against the sofa exposing his strong throat and his eyes were shut. He was flushed, sweat beaded on his brow and his lips were parted, tempting her to clamber up his body and slip her tongue between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan shivered, her spine tingling with arousal at the thought. She sped her movements up, sucking on him as hard as she could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seconds later, Adam stifled a groan as his abs twitched and tensed. The hand in her hair gripped her tight until she couldn't move. He held her captive, giving her no option but to allow him to come in her mouth. Megan didn't protest. Though it had never been something she'd found particularly erotic in the past, right that second she wanted nothing else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam released the hold he had on her head and Megan pulled away, swallowing the mouthful of seed. She wiped her mouth and ran a hand over her hair to smooth it back down after the almost vicious hold he'd had on it. Megan stilled when Adam reached a hand out to her. He petted her, running his fingers through her hair, being careful not to tug at the messy tangles. She relaxed into his touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still kneeling on the floor, Megan slumped over to the side until she was sitting on her bottom. She looped an arm around Adam's thigh, hugging him close and lay her head down to rest at the juncture of his groin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He continued to pet at her hair, sliding the golden strands between his fingers. She tilted her face to gaze up at him. He looked more thoughtful now than he had before she'd started. She sighed heavily. If it hadn't been so cold on the floor, Megan figured they probably would have sat in silence as they were for hours. When she shivered however, Adam's hand was forced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come here.” His voice was low and rough. He sounded conflicted, like he was unsure whether to remain sullen with her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan leapt up and clambered to her feet. She saw Adam's gaze rake down her body and as stood before him, on display, she was suddenly hyper–aware of her nakedness. Had he not grasped her hips and pulled her down into his lap, she would have reached for her t-shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tucked her body into his, wriggling a little to get comfortable before resting her head against his chest and kicking her legs out along the sofa. He was so warm – unnaturally so. Megan pressed more of her body to his in an attempt to chase off the chill in her limbs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You're cold.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There was a draught down there,” She replied, moving closer still so her nose pressed against his neck. She took in a deep breath, hit by a sudden wave of nostalgia. Adam still wore the same cologne.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should have said something,” he muttered, running a flat palm over her hip and down her thigh. Megan had decided she liked the feel of the augmented material against her skin. It was smooth like plastic, yet had the same softness and pliancy of flesh. It was a unique blend of materials, tailored to be tough and durable, yet not hard and rigid, designed to allow the user free, natural movement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's okay, I was far too busy to feel cold.” Megan smiled and smoothed a hand across Adam’s wide, muscular chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat in comfortable silence, both petting one another absentmindedly. Megan allowed her thoughts to wander, to come to terms with all that had happened in the last hour or so. It was a small step in the right direction, she hoped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Adam had seemed insistent that he didn't want her to fix the fault in the pressure settings of his augmentations, she was almost certain he would be planning a trip to the local L.I.M.B clinic already. Once it was all in working order, he would be able to touch her and another important part of their puzzle would fall back into place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam's chin grazed her forehead, snapping Megan from her thoughts. She sat up a little and tilted her head to look at him questioningly before realising that he meant to kiss her. She ignored the flutter in her stomach and shifted into a more helpful position.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He brushed his mouth against hers and Megan's tongue swiped out to wet her lips. When Adam pressed forward with a firm, chaste kiss she sighed. It drove her crazy, her need to be close with him like this. Having felt so denied for such a long time, to have him actively seek her out for a kiss was an indescribable high.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan allowed Adam to do what he wanted with her, she mirrored his needs and wants. The kiss was soft, warm and chaste for a long time as they took it in turns to rub and massage one another's lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan became less and less aware of the cold and her nakedness, thoughts focused instead on the sweat forming on her skin, how hard her nipples were as they brushed against Adam and the aching between her thighs. She was the first to open her mouth and she delicately licked the seam of his lips in a silent request for more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam's hand was in her hair again, soft and relaxed, though Megan could feel the tension rolling off him as he fought the urge to grab her tightly. He was worried about hurting her again, and although nothing would change until that fault was rectified, Megan felt emotion bloom in her chest at the notion that he cared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he opened his mouth to her, she sat up and swung a leg over his lap until she was straddling him. Once settled, Megan pressed her body tight against him, gasping when his hands were placed carefully on her ass. She wished he could squeeze and palm her flesh. She knew Adam was thinking the same thing when a quiet, frustrated groan escaped him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan slid her tongue forwards between his lips, shuddering when he stroked his own against it. She grabbed his head, a hand on either side of his face, and kissed him harder. Her need for him rocketed to new heights.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam pulled away. “We should go to bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His gaze didn't leave her mouth, but Megan saw his expression begin to sober. The lustful sparkle dimmed from his eyes and he sat forward, a not–so–subtle hint for Megan to get off his lap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She obeyed, but felt her heart plummet. She tried to reason with herself – it wasn't like she and Adam could have sex tonight with his augmentation being out of order and they'd already made great progress towards a more intimate relationship. Megan knew she should be patient, but that was the last thing she wanted to be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam got to his feet, towering over her. He snatched his towel up off the floor and wrapped it around his hips, but not before Megan noticed his shaft had begun to respond to her again. She bit her lip to prevent herself from saying anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Leave it.” Adam snapped when she bent to grab her t-shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn't paused, hadn't even glanced around to look at her. He just walked away, disappearing into the darkness of the bedroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan shivered, both with chill and anticipation. Had he asked her to leave the clothes because they weren't done? She eagerly trotted after him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam was already pulling the sheets back when she entered the room. She stood at the foot of the bed waiting for him to finish preparing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get on the bed,” he told her, voice tight with tension. Megan obeyed silently, clambering across to the far side to give him room to join her. She pulled her knees up to her chest as Adam threw his towel into the bathroom and joined her on the bed. Megan remained still as he shuffled on his knees in front of her. Before she could react, he grabbed her legs and pulled them out from underneath her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan flopped onto her back, yelping in surprise. Adam pushed her knees apart, taking a moment to gaze hungrily at her sex before shifting his body between her legs. He was still sitting upright, leaning back on his haunches when Megan spread her thighs wider, a blatant invitation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam's shaft twitched in response and she reached out for him, surprised when he didn't fight her. He allowed her to pull him down into a kiss. As he leant his weight into his arms, Megan shifted to wrap her legs around his waist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They kissed for a long while, starting soft and slow but gradually building to a feverish, passionate pace. Megan felt hot all over, she couldn't breathe, couldn't think...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was dazed and gasping for breath when Adam removed his mouth from hers and dipped to kiss the hollow of her neck, brushing his lips against her hammering pulse point. When they’d first gotten together, Megan had been amazed that he seemed to instinctively know where she liked to be kissed and touched. Now, years later, she was still overwhelmed. The man had died and had ninety percent of his body replaced with augmentations, yet he hadn't lost his touch. If anything, he was better than she remembered. Megan felt herself growing wet, aching with need.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam,” she moaned breathlessly, bowing her back in a futile attempt to get closer to him. The soft peaks of her breasts grazed his chest and she stifled a gasp. Megan noticed he was hard for her again now, his shaft jutting straight up between them. Warm satisfaction bloomed in her chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tilting her hips up, she reached down between their bodies to press the length of his cock against her hot, slick core. Adam shuddered and kissed her hard on the mouth once more. As his tongue plundered her, Megan rocked her hips back and forth, grinding herself against him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Adam broke the kiss again, it was to sit upright. He watched her writhing against him, his eyes dark and unreadable. Megan felt herself flush with embarrassment at her wanton behaviour, but couldn't seem to bring herself to stop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He reached out automatically to grab one of her breasts but stopped himself just short. A familiar silent fury flashed across his expression, sending a jolt of panic through Megan's body. She stopped rubbing herself against him and fell back against the bed once more, her limbs weakened with desire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can't touch you, Megan.” Adam gritted his teeth, looking almost pained by the admission. “I'll just end up hurting you. I can't...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan hesitated, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “I could still fix the fault. It wouldn't take long and—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” he snapped. The viciousness of his tone made her body go rigid with fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, I just—” she mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There's nothing wrong with the rest of me,” he interrupted tersely. “I might not be able to touch you—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He got up on his knees and scooted backward. Before Megan could ask what he meant, Adam dipped forwards and pressed his tongue against her sex in a long, hot lick. She whimpered and he caught her thighs, one in each hand, before she could clamp them shut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam held one leg down with his arm as the other was pushed backwards to accommodate his wide shoulders. He laid down on his stomach, and once comfortable, he licked her again – this time, even more tortuously. Megan was held down and spread wide, vulnerable and more exposed than she had ever been in her life. Having always been quite shy in bed, it gave her an unexpected thrill to have all control taken from her. She shuddered as arousal thrummed through her body with astounding force.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After several more long licks from the bottom of her sex to the very top, Adam paused. He pulled back and studied her to get his bearings before flicking his tongue gently against her clitoris. Megan gasped and jolted, but her hips didn't move an inch beneath the vice hold he had her locked in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kept all his movements soft and gentle, barely touching her. Occasionally he'd press a hot kiss to her apex and suck the bundle of nerves before backing off to flick and tease her once more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a particularly well–placed lick, Megan moaned and reached behind her head with both hands to grasp the pillow. She shivered when he chuckled, his breath chilling her sensitive, wet flesh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You taste just as good as I remember,” Adam sighed, treating her to another long lick that left her quivering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“P–please. Ohh!” Megan cried, squeezing her eyes shut.”I can't take it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silently, Adam complied and began flicking his tongue against her faster. There was drive behind his movement and touch now. He'd grown tired of teasing her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She moaned again, her breaths ragged and uneven. Her core clenched, craving the release he was pushing her towards with startling speed. Just as Megan's mouth fell open to cry out, to let him know how close she was to her end – Adam stopped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She whimpered when he released her legs and got back up on his knees.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh—” Megan gasped, bewildered. She reached out and Adam grasped her hand in his own. It would have been tender, if not for the accidental crushing grip he had on it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She cursed augmentations silently, in that moment wishing that they didn't exist. She would have done anything to make it so. It was something she, one of the world's leading augmentation scientific researchers, would surely be embarrassed to have even considered later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold on,” Adam muttered, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and yanking the bedside drawer open with such force that the whole unit almost tipped over forwards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Megan asked, writhing impatiently on the bed. He didn't answer her, but she watched him pull out and open a new box of condoms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When had he put those in there? She had been searching for a pen just a few nights before and they hadn't been present then, she was certain. Had Adam been planning this? Was the seemingly natural progression they had made this evening actually orchestrated?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan felt her stomach lurch. He could have been using his C.A.S.I.E implant against her all this time. She knew the device had the capability to make Adam's body release a variety of pheromones that could induce a desired social response from others. Thankfully her conscience was quick to remind her of how, if it were true, Adam's minor betrayal would pale in comparison to her own. She let the thought fade before she diminished her arousal with self–loathing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam rolled over onto his back, his length now sheathed, and lay flat on the bed. He grabbed her and though Megan winced at the painful grip, she allowed him to lift and position her so she was laying with her back to his chest. He hooked his arms under her thighs and pulled them up and wide, exposing her sex once more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Moving almost too quick for her to see, Adam grasped his cock and pressed the head to her entrance, carefully feeding it inside her. At first, Megan's body clenched around the intrusion, the discomfort serving to remind her how long it had been since she'd last had sex.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax,” Adam instructed her, though his voice was gentle. “I'll be careful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan took a breath and held it as he slid deeper inside her, willing herself to relax. Her body was plenty lubricated for penetration, and after the first few shallow thrusts, the painful twinges died away leaving behind a satisfying feeling of being full.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good,” Adam grunted, lifting his hips to achieve a deeper stroke. Megan felt pleased at his praise of her. It was nice to finally have his approval in something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither of them said another word as Adam settled into a steady rhythm; slow, but deep, each thrust pushing as far inside her as possible. Megan was certain if he'd been moving faster or more forcefully it would have been quite painful. As it was, she gripped his shaft with her internal muscles in an attempt to wrench as much pleasure from each movement as she could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He picked up the pace and soon Megan was rolling her hips in time with Adam's thrusts, encouraging him to give her more. He raised his knees, putting his feet flat to the bed to get better leverage. With his harsh, breathless grunts in her ear, tickling her neck, Megan felt her arousal rocket to an almost painful degree. She writhed against him, their bodies sticky with sweat. Adam lifted his hips making her gasp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam,” she cried. “Please, just touch me. I don't even care if it hurts. I need it.” Megan held onto him tighter to steady herself when he thrust faster still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I care,” he growled, his voice hoarse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can't... stop now. You'll have to do it yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan froze for a moment, taking in his suggestion. She supposed it was selfish of her to have not thought about it sooner. She had never touched herself in front of anyone, always having relied on Adam's superior bedroom skills to bring her to orgasm. Megan was hit by a wave of guilt. Was this yet another aspect of him she had taken for granted?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She snaked her hand hesitantly down her body, pausing with her fingertips just shy of dipping between her thighs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam,” she pleaded one last time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go on.” He tightened his hold on her legs so they were pulled further apart. Though he had undoubtedly meant his words as a command, Megan recognised the eagerness in his voice and was powerless to refuse him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She trailed her fingers over the sensitive, moist flesh, accidentally brushing Adam's cock in the process and earning herself a shudder as he slowed his thrusts. She ran her fingers over him, tracing around the seamless connection their bodies made. Her sex pulsed hungrily when she spread herself apart. She could feel Adam's chest heaving for breath beneath her which only served to spur her on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she couldn't take any more light, teasing touches, Megan brought her fingers to her mouth and licked them for extra lubrication. Adam groaned and pressed a hot kiss into her neck, halting his movements inside her almost altogether.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan rubbed earnestly, despite feeling her face heat and a bead of sweat trickle from her brow. She tickled her fingers all over the wet flesh, stoking her arousal higher and higher. When she began tapping her fingertips gently against her clit, her channel pulsed and Adam's strong arms grasped her tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holding her in place, he thrust up into her almost desperately now and she let out a strangled cry when particularly well-angled strokes nudged at her G–spot. Whether he'd done it by accident at first Megan would never know, but he soon figured it out for himself and began rocking his hips that way deliberately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thighs quivering, Megan circled and flicked at the sensitive bundle of nerves faster, almost crazed in her desire to reach her end. Her mind was blank, a rare thing for a woman so intelligent, as she pushed her body closer and closer to the release she so badly needed. Her internal walls clamped down around Adam's cock, milking pleasure from his movements and dragging a moan from the usually stoic, silent man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm not going to last much longer if you keep doing that,” he chuckled, panting. He licked her neck, making her quiver.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan continued to finger herself tapping, rubbing, flicking and teasing her sex until she teetered on the very edge of orgasm. She didn't hesitate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, A–Adam! I'm coming,” she whimpered, her voice so broken and hoarse she wondered if he'd even heard her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck.” Adam reigned in his thrusts once more until they were slow and deep. It was just what she had needed, and she had a sneaking suspicion he'd known it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her inner walls clenched and released rhythmically, the rest of her body frozen. With blinding waves of pleasure came realisation – she'd missed this so much. Her entire life was wrong without Adam Jensen in it. Why had she ever thought her work was more important than this? For a genius, she could be really, really dumb.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the orgasm ebbed, Megan's body relaxed. She felt boneless, her entire body tingling and throbbing with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Adam slammed his hips up into her, his patience at an end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though she wasn't a fan of rough sex, after such a mind-blowing orgasm Megan didn't much care. She summoned the last of her strength to roll her hips in time with his and aiding his movements. She'd come too far to forget and be a selfish lover now when he needed her most.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She squeezed him tight inside her, hands roaming to stroke at any bare skin she could find beneath her. It wasn't long until Adam jerked, his body tensing as he buried his cock as deep within her body as he could manage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few seconds ticked by where he didn't move at all, save for his shaft twitching inside her. Then he let out a long, staggered sigh and his muscles relaxed. Both Megan and Adam lay in silence catching their breaths. Neither of them attempted to move.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was so good,” Megan whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Adam replied. He rolled them over onto their sides before sliding himself out of her body. She silently mourned the loss of the connection and reached behind to smooth a hand down his leg.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sat up on his elbow, leaning over her to grab a tissue before flopping back down onto his back. Megan listened to the snapping of latex as he removed the condom and cleaned himself up. She felt as though she should say something, but no words presented themselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam hoisted himself to his feet with a grunt and strode off into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Megan sighed and lay in silence, awaiting his return and trying not to overthink the situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he returned, she leapt to her feet surprised when she found her legs weak and stumbled a little. Adam's arm flew out to steady her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks.” Megan smiled and brushed past him on her way to the bathroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She peed and cleaned herself up with a few wet wipes, her thoughts returning to focus on the 'what now?' element of the evening. Would Adam want to talk to her? Would he feel the need to clear the air, or would he just roll over and go to sleep like he had all other nights previous to this one? Megan was tense again, her stomach clenching with apprehension and worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stood, almost gasping when she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror opposite. Her hair was tousled and matted, lips swollen, her face flushed and still glistening with sweat. Usually, Megan would have been appalled to be seen looking so dishevelled, but tonight? Tonight she had reformed that all-important connection with Adam, experienced one of the best orgasms of her life and she would have remained like this forever if it meant feeling close to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she brushed her teeth, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, growing more and more confident and satisfied with what she saw. She hoped Adam would feel the same way about her appearance. Spitting the minty foam into the basin, Megan rinsed her toothbrush and hurried back to the bedroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The room was so dark in contrast to the bright bathroom that she stumbled, feeling her way clumsily back to the bed. Adam had moved over to give her room to lie next to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once settled and tucked under the thick, warm duvet, Megan reached out for him. She was surprised to be met with the smooth, warm expanse of his back. Her stomach dropped and she stroked her hand against his skin again, a silent request to snuggle close to him. He didn't respond.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan rolled over, convincing herself that a lot of men fell asleep straight after sex but all the self–assurance in the world wouldn't have muted the crushing rejection because deep–down she knew he wasn't sleeping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wiped the single tear that tracked down her cheek viciously. Megan wasn't a soft, emotional woman. She never cried and was angry at herself for being so weak, even feeling a little humiliated. Apparently, Adam Jensen knew just how to target her weak spots.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The bed jostled as Adam's weight moved on the springs. Megan jumped when his arm draped over her torso and pulled her in, dragging her weight across the bed to be tucked against his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't cry. I hate it,” he muttered into her hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn't,” Megan replied icily, but allowed him to squeeze her tighter still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't lie to me. My implant—” he began but was cut off by her disgruntled sigh. She was starting to </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>resent those augmentations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They lay together for a long time, her body moulded to fit his. Megan was tense, her eyes dry and itchy from the tears. She focused on Adam's heartbeat thumping against her back. When his breathing grew deep and steady, she had assumed he was asleep and jolted when Adam's deep voice broke the silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you, Megan,” he stated simply. Her heart lurched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?” she whispered, her voice breaking and a hard lump forming in her throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don't know,” Adam replied truthfully. “You betrayed my trust and did some horrible things. You helped bad people achieve their goals. You broke me, Megan. I haven't been the same since. Not even now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan barely held back a sob.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But nothing is the same without you. I tried cutting you out and it made me miserable, so I tried punishing you and that made me even more miserable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm so sorry, Adam,” she whimpered and he hugged her tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. Which is why I need to let go of the past and everything else that happened,” he sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you, Adam. I always have and it tears me up inside that I could do something so—” Megan's voice cracked and she trembled, fighting her tears though some escaped regardless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh.” Adam kissed her hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan had planned to spill her guts, to cry and sob and plead for forgiveness. She would relinquish all her pride if it meant regaining Adam's trust. Yet he had seemingly already understood her turmoil without the need for drama. It felt pointless to tell him because she sensed he already knew everything she had to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam petted her gently, still holding her close to his body. When he nuzzled her hair, Megan felt weariness crash into her. She fell into a heavy slumber, her last conscious thoughts centred on Adam. Her mother was right – she had been a fool to let him go. Men like him were one in a million, and that was before taking his super–human genes into account.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Megan, have you fallen asleep again?” Adam's deep voice cut through the dark, heavy fog of sleep. Megan yawned and cracked her eyes open.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was met by the wide expanse of Adam's muscular back, clothed in a plain black t-shirt. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, bending forwards to pull off his shoes. She automatically reached out and smoothed her hand over him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You're going to be late for work if you don't get up now,” Adam said, turning his body to stroke her hair. “I already tried to wake you once.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did?” Megan replied, her voice hoarse from sleep. She cleared her throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did, and you told me you were getting up straight away.” She detected a hint of amusement in his tone that filled her with hope for the day to come.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Since they had gotten back together, Adam had rarely shown signs of being happy. At best he could be defined as content, and it hurt Megan to see him so emotionless. In the past, he'd always been quite amusing in a dry–humoured sort of way and she missed his laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I must have fallen back to sleep,” she mumbled through a yawn and closed her eyes again. Just five more minutes...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I doubt you were even awake to begin with,” Adam replied. She heard the bed springs creak under his weight and was surprised when a soft kiss was pressed to her lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mng, don't,” she grumbled with a smile, turning her head away from him. “I have terrible morning breath.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then you'd better get up and brush your teeth.” Adam pressed another kiss to her neck before heaving himself up onto his feet. He crossed the room to sit at his desk and began flicking through a pile of papers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan stretched and yawned amongst the bed sheets. She was usually so organised when it came to getting ready for work. It was unlike her to be lethargic. She assumed she must have even slept through her alarm if Adam had needed to wake her. Twice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Honestly, a night of hot sex and you've become a lazy teenager, lounging in bed when she should be getting ready for school</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she scolded herself silently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a heavy sigh, Megan swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and meandered to the bathroom, too spaced to care that she was still naked from the night before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stared at her haggard appearance in the mirror with disgust. Her ‘sexy, post-orgasm’ tousled look had transformed into ‘frightening homeless lady’ overnight. Megan grasped her hairbrush and worked the bristles through the matted mess, wincing when the knots tugged at her scalp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, when the strands were long and silken once more, she grabbed her toothbrush and began scrubbing. Whilst she did so, Megan found herself contemplating the morning so far.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was almost amusing, the change in Adam's mood since last night. She figured perhaps the old adage was true – for men, almost any problem could be worked out with sex. Megan fought a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, deep down she knew the real reason for Adam's sudden change in attitude had been her apology. Though she had claimed she was sorry many times since they'd gotten back together, last night had been the first time she had seen what she had done to him. She finally understood </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> she was sorry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd forgiven her because she had empathised with his resentment of his changed body but accepted him regardless. Megan felt warmth bloom in her chest as she allowed herself to look forward to their future together for the first time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With her thoughts still fixated on him, she began to wonder why he was awake so early – and fully dressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Usually, Megan's alarm went off at 7am to give her time to shower and preen herself to a suitable standard before work. Adam often didn't get up until almost an hour later and even then he got dressed just as he was about to walk out of the front door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan had stood in the doorway on many occasions, enviously watching him as he shrugged a t-shirt on with a piece of toast lodged in his mouth. She wished it took </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> two minutes to get ready for work in the mornings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly she felt a jolt of panic, like an electric shock. Adam had mentioned he'd already tried to wake her after she'd slept through her alarm. That meant she was running late. Maybe even </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> late.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She knew she wouldn't get in trouble for it – the work she did for the L.I.M.B clinic was so simple, Megan was the most qualified scientist they had. She practically ran the place and the boss was wrapped around her little finger. No one would have dared report her, but it went against everything she stood for to be tardy for anything – whether she could get away with it or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She spat the toothpaste into the sink and hurriedly rinsed the brush before darting out into the bedroom to check the bedside clock. Megan blinked, not quite sure what to make of the display – 6:10am.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam? Why—” She spun around, yelping with surprise when she realised he'd gotten up and silently moved to stand right behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry.” His voice was serious, but Megan saw the corners of his lips quirk into a brief smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't do that,” she exclaimed, before turning to glance at the clock again. Then back up at Adam. “Why have you woken me up so early? You know I don't get up until seve—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whilst she had been talking, Adam had moved closer. One hand reached out to rest on her hip, whilst the other snaked around her waist and down to squeeze her bottom appraisingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan froze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You're touching me,” she said dumbly, her voice all but a whisper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam pawed at her again, tugging her in closer to him. “Well, you are just standing there, completely naked. I might look like a robot, but I still think like a man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gaped at him. “Your augmentations – you got them fixed? When?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I went to the twenty-four hour L.I.M.B clinic.” Adam dipped and hoisted Megan into his arms like she weighed no more than a feather. The topic of his augmentations was clearly closed and she wasn't about to start complaining.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megan allowed him to carry her to the bed and lay her down on her back. Adam then sat beside her on the edge of the bed, much like the position they'd been in when she had first woken that morning. He gazed at her, his expression intense but indecipherable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam, did you wake me up early because you wanted to, uh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>test</span>
  </em>
  <span> these newly calibrated augmentations of yours?” She tried to sound confident, but already she was slipping into the submissive character she became when she was in bed with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam didn't answer her, just turned his body to lean over and kiss her. With every kiss, Megan's intelligence dimmed. Her thoughts grew fuzzy and confused. All she could think about was Adam Jensen and it suddenly occurred to her that she had never been happier.</span>
</p>
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